


enough to drive you crazy (if you let it)

by andfollowthesun



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, JUST PURE FLUFF Y'ALL, M/M, Meet-Cute, Pre-Relationship, suit and geek shop au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-17 03:15:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28593096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/andfollowthesun/pseuds/andfollowthesun
Summary: The guy behind the desk was the Most Beautiful Man In The World. Any other time, Poe would've stopped, pretended that he ever had the need to wear a suit, or the money to buy one. Flirted a little, maybe asked for this guy's number.But today, with a line outside his own shop and a full bladder?
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Finn
Comments: 12
Kudos: 51





	enough to drive you crazy (if you let it)

**Author's Note:**

> YES the title is from dolly parton's 9 to 5 because everybody knows coming up with the title is the worst part about writing fic and all i could think about was how much i hate working retail

Poe Dameron loved his job, don't get him wrong. His comic book shop was tiny and almost missable in the huge mall, but the huge windows along the back wall filled the shop with warm light every afternoon (and, Poe thought privately, served a nice change to the dingy artificial light that comic shops usually had). He could come into work every day in a t-shirt and jeans. He got paid to geek out over things and if he was reading graphic novels at the counter instead of doing important shop things, well, nobody could blame him, right?

The only inconvenience? There was one set of bathrooms in the entire mall. On the other side. A ten minute walk away.

The twenty minute trip really wasn't something that Poe could afford when the line outside his bookshop wound through most of the mall, and he was set to open in 15 minutes with the newest issue of Captain America comics.

But he really, really needed the toilet.

“Jess, I need to pee.” he whispered to her as they opened the last boxes and placed the comics in the stands.

She shot him an incredulous look. “Are you kidding me?”

“No?” He winced as her incredulous look turned into a glare.

“Don’t you dare, Dameron. You are not leaving me to the wolves.”

Poe glanced outside: the crowd was a mix of guys in their late twenties and thirties, and young girls who looked like they were in their last couple of years of high school. Rey, the mall’s security guard, was walking the length of the line, making small talk every now and then with the regulars who came in every month when new comics hit the shelves. She was the same size as most of the high school girls, but everybody stayed perfectly in line. Even the dudebros who wore the same sloganed shirts every month and had skin like they’d never used moisturiser in their lives. The last time a guy had gotten cocky with her, she’d judo flipped him over her shoulder. Poe hadn’t been working that day, but Jess had recounted the story to him with waving hands and a gleam in her eye.

Even with Rey watching out for things, Poe knew how easily it could dissolve into chaos. It wasn’t something that he wanted to face at all, let along walk directly through.

But a guy had his needs, and his bladder was pretty insistent.

Jess was still glaring at him.

“I’ll be quick.” he tried.

Her glare only intensified. “Ask the suit shop across from here. I saw somebody walk in last week with a toilet plunger, so I assume they've got a toilet.”

Poe’s mouth dropped open at the suggestion. “Pava, _no_. You know how I feel about the suit shop. They’re a bunch of upper class, elitist – ”

“Stuck up jerks, yeah I know. You’re gonna have to suck it up this time, because you do not have time to push through that line to the other end of the mall.”

Poe opened his mouth to argue, but Jess pointedly looked out at the line, then at the clock, which read thirteen minutes until opening. He shut his mouth, and headed for the front doors of the shop.

“You have ten minutes, Dameron! I’m setting a timer!” Jess yelled after him, and Poe made a mental note to give her a pay rise for putting up with his shit.

Rey, bless her heart, saw him walking towards the shop entrance, and met him on the other side of the glass doors. Poe made a T symbol with his hands, and pointed at the suit shop directly across from him. Rey nodded in understanding, and planted her feet to face the crowd.

Poe took that as his cue, and pushed the front door open. He began to force his way through the crowd, shouting, “Sorry folks, not yet! Still a few more minutes.” As soon as he was clear of the initial bulk of the line, he ran towards the suit shop.

Of course, the suit shop being not just any old suit shop, but a fancy suit shop, had automatic sliding doors, which wasted Poe a precious few seconds as he waited for the doors to sweep open. He stepped inside, blinking at the sudden change of light. The doors slid shut behind him, cutting off the murmur of the crowd, and leaving only the generic piano music of the suit shop.

_This place,_ Poe thought, _is so fucking bland._ He’d only ever been in a suit once in his life – for his high school prom, for which his Ma forced him into a rented tuxedo. He’d kept the tie and jacket on for approximately 20 minutes – enough time for photos and to get into the car – before he’d dropped the jacket, undid the tie and tied it around his forehead, and rolled up his shirtsleeves, much the displeasure of his date. The tuxedo company had also not been happy at the state of the outfit he returned.

Poe was so busy thinking about the blandness of the shop and looking desperately around at the beige walls for some direction to a bathroom that he completely missed the person behind the desk until he spoke.

“Can I help you?”

Poe zeroed his attention at the source of the voice and almost swallowed his tongue.

The guy behind the desk was the Most Beautiful Man In The World. He was wearing a velvet purple suit that would look ridiculous on anybody else, but looked fucking incredible on him. His hands were splayed over the countertop, and Poe noted his long fingers before getting briefly distracted by the fine bones of his wrists.

Poe, being thirty-two and hopefully having slightly more game than a horny eighteen-year-old, made a nonchalant sweep up to the man’s face and immediately got stuck on the full lips and deep brown eyes. Okay, maybe not as much game as he thought he had. Goddamn, Poe would have to rethink his stance on suits and suit shops if this guy was working here.

Any other time, Poe would've stopped, pretended that he ever had the need to wear a suit, or the money to buy one. Flirted a little, maybe asked for this guy's number.

But today, with a line outside his own shop and a full bladder?

“Toilet.” he said.

The Most Beautiful Man In The World’s eyebrows went up. “Pardon?”

“Please.”

So apparently Poe was unable to give more than one word answers now. He’d never been smooth around crushes, but he’d never been this tongue tied before. However, he’d also never been face to face with The Most Beautiful Man In The World.

Luckily, he seemed to understand Poe’s intention, and stepped to the wall behind the counter, pushing to reveal a door that had previously been hidden in the design of the wall. Poe spared a second to think _of course they have a hidden bathroom door,_ before rushing in to use the toilet.

“Poe!” Oh hell, that was Rey’s voice, and from the sounds of it, she was inside the suit shop. Her having left the line to itself made Poe nervous. “Jess says that if you’re not back in the shop in the next two minutes, she will literally skin you alive.”

“I’m going, I’m going!” He hurriedly zipped his fly and ran past Rey out of the shop, throwing himself into the crowd of the line. He barely had time to yell a “Thank you!” to the Most Beautiful Man In The World before the crowd closed behind him and obscured his view into the suit shop, leaving Poe to push on through the mass of people to the front doors of his own shop.

Jess’ gaze didn’t leave the clock that hung behind the counter when Poe finally made it back in. “I’ve finished stocking the shelves and displays, but for that little stint I’m putting you on door duty.”

“I’m your boss, you technically can’t order me around.”

“Tough shit.” She situated herself behind the counter, and pressed a few buttons on the till.

Poe sighed, and stood behind the front doors. The clock ticked to 9:59.

Time to face the wolves.

+++++

The rush finally died down mid-afternoon, and Poe – having been relieved from door duty when line dissipated somewhat – rung up one last customer, and then put his forehead on the counter, groaning. The new comics brought in revenue, but more importantly they brought in customers, new and old, every month. It was all worth it to see people walking out the store with their heads already buried in books, or even better, just sitting on the seats outside the store to read them because they started, and couldn’t wait to get home to finish.

That didn’t mean it wasn’t the most exhausting day of every month.

“I know that look.” Jess popped her head out of the storeroom where she was taking stock aka reading the comics herself. “What’s got you all mopey?”

“Nothing.” Poe tried to school his face back into a neutral expression. Jess’s eyebrows shot up, she stepped out of the storeroom.

“Oh no, that face isn’t nothing. What’s gotten into you, Dameron?”

“He’s got a crush.” Rey pushed open the door of the shop and came to lean on the other side of the counter across from Poe.

He glared at her. “Aren’t you supposed to be at work?”

She waved her hand dismissively. “Lunch break. Not interesting. What is interesting is your crush on Finn over there.”

“Yep, that’s way more interesting. Who’s this Finn?” Jess straight up leered at Poe, and he groaned.

“I don’t even know who Finn is!” Which was technically true. He didn’t know that The Most Beautiful Man In The World’s name was Finn. But if it was, it was a great piece of information, thank you Rey.

“Tall, dark, and handsome over there in the suit shop, who literally took away Poe’s ability to talk this morning.” Rey smirked, and leaned further across the counter, closer to Poe. “And who’s been talking non-stop about this cute guy who came into the shop this morning.”

Poe felt a flush make a way up his face, and he tried to act as casual as possible. “Oh?”

Rey’s smirk only widened. “So what I’m thinking, is after you get off work, you make your way over to the suit shop and ask him out.” Her smile dropped for a second. “Wait, actually it’s creepy to hit on him when he’s at work. What time do you get off?”

Poe tried not to think too hard about the words “get off” in the context of The Most Beautiful Man In The World. “Uh, like 5:30?”

Rey pushed back from the counter, and started to walk backwards to the exit of the shop. Maybe it just showed how much time she actually spent in this shop and how nimble she was that she navigated through the displays perfectly.

“Finn finishes at 6. Find something to do for half an hour, won’t you?”

Poe gaped at her as she pushed the door open and walked briskly down the mall and out of sight.

Jess whistled. “Looks like you’ve got a job to do today.”

“Like the job you should be doing right now?”

“Nah. Your job sounds like way more fun. Just don't become a Republican capitalist when you marry suit boy, okay?”

“Fuck off.” Poe shoved her lightly before turning to greet a customer, The Most Beautiful Man In The World, neatly compartmentalised in Poe’s brain while he worked. After all, it was still early. He had the rest of the day to think about it.

+++++

Poe spent the rest of the day panicking.

“What am I gonna say?”

Jess tapped her nails on the counter. “This was cute the first time you asked, but I’ve been listening to you freak out for a solid hour now.”

“But I still don’t know what to do!” Poe felt his voice fall into a whine. He knew he was being pathetic, and and from the look Jess shot him, she thought so too.

“If you’re gonna be like this, I’m taking off early, comic day or no.”

“You can’t leave me!”

“Aaaaand, there’s your truly, truly, lovesick voice, which is my cue to get out of there.” Jess took off her nametag as she spoke.

“Ugh. Fine” Poe put his elbows on the counter and his head in his hands. The worst part was that Jess was right. The store had been pretty quiet in the afternoon, and they were almost out of stock for the new comic anyway. There wouldn’t be anymore big rushes for the rest of the day. Any other day, Poe would have let her go way earlier than now.

But it wasn’t just any other day. Today, he would have to be left alone with his thoughts and a mere few hours to figure out what to say to The Most Beautiful Man In The World— Finn. It was probably a good idea to stop calling him The Most Beautiful Man In The World in his head before he went over to the suit shop again. He did want to seem somewhat cool.

Jess’ knuckles rapping on the counter startled Poe out of his thoughts. She had already thrown on her hoodie and grabbed her bag from the backroom.

“Don’t be a loser. Just do it.” She did the Shia Labeouf position as she said this, and Poe cracked a smile.

“Get out of here.”

“I expect full deets tomorrow!” she yelled as she opened the door. Poe waved at her until she disappeared around the corner into the mall.

The clock read quarter past 3. Poe sighed and decidedly pushed any thoughts of beautiful men out of his head. He had time to figure it out.

+++++

The next few hours passed by with glacial slowness. Poe rang up some customers, and only once had to intervene a guy mansplaining to a girl he clearly had just met and clearly didn’t want to be talking to him. All in all, it wasn’t a bad day.

But 5:30 arrived, and he was still no closer to figuring out what he was going to say to The Most Beautiful Man In The World.

Poe dragged out closing shop and locking up. He could always do it tomorrow, he reasoned. It wasn’t like he was going anywhere, and what were the chances that he met The Most Beautiful Man In the World on his last day working at the suit shop? The universe wasn’t that cruel. There would be other days, which gave him more time to come up with something smooth and suave. Maybe he could wait until they both took lunch at the same time, and just so happened to end up at the same mall foodcourt stall, _oh hey, what a coincidence, my name’s Poe, I can get lunch for you as a thank you for letting me use your toilet that one time I don’t know if you remember—_

The door dinged open and Poe turned around from where he’d been absentmindedly sweeping the same spot for 10 minutes. “Sorry, we’re closed—”

His words died in his mouth when he saw The Most Beautiful Man In The World standing in the middle of his comic shop.

He looked even better in the natural afternoon light streaming in from the shop windows. His jacket was off, and he’d rolled up his sleeves. Poe was fucked.

It was only by the saving grace of ingrained customer service skills that he mustered up what he hoped was a completely normal, non-infatuated smile. “Hey, how can I help?”

“Uh.” The Most Beautiful Man In The World smiled back, and Poe felt himself blush. They stared at each other for a minute, and Poe sent a silent thanks that Jess had gone home early.

The Most Beautiful Man In the World broke the silence first, because of course, as well as everything else, he was braver than Poe. “I’m Finn.”

“Poe. I thought you got off at 6?”

He let it slip without thinking about it, and Finn’s eyebrows shot up. Poe winced. Oops.

“Uh. Rey might have let slip what time you finished.”

Finn’s face broke out into a wide smile, and he stepped closer to Poe. “Firstly, it’s 6 already.”

“Oh.” Poe squeaked, clutching his broom a little tighter. He felt like a goddamn teenager.

If it was possible, Finn’s smile widened even further, despite Poe’s less than engaging answer. “So you’ve been talking about me. huh?”

Poe’s face felt like it was on fire. Oh god, he hadn’t been on the backfoot when flirting since he was 20.

Finn’s smile widened. “Rey’s been annoying me all afternoon about a guy who came in this morning to use the toilet in our store. I would’ve made conversation with him if he didn’t run in and out before I could say anything.”

Fucking Rey. Poe glanced over Finn’s shoulder to see Rey loitering around the front of his store. He caught her eye, and she gave him a shit-eating grin and a thumbs up.

Finn looked up at the ceiling and rolled his eyes. “She’s behind me, isn’t she?”

Poe tried not to get distracted with the long line of his throat. “Uh, yeah. She’s giving a thumbs up.” He pulled a face at her, and she pulled one back before disappearing out of sight.

Finn laughed. “Well, looks like she’s a great wingwoman.”

“She’s a meddler.” Poe grumbled. He was fully aware that he sounded sulky when he said it, but Finn was still smiling at him, so he must be doing something right.

“Any chance her meddling can get you to have dinner with me?”

Fuck. This guy was really, really smooth. Poe would need to step his game up.

“Maybe. Will I need to wear a suit? I haven’t worn one in about fifteen years. And in any case, I don’t think I’d be able to clean up as nicely as you.”

Poe inwardly fist pumped when Finn laughed. “No suits necessary.”

“Sweatpants? Hoodies?" Poe bargained.

"If you're aiming for a movie night, you just have to ask." 

Poe was already half in love with this man. "In that case, I could be convinced.”

“Here.” Finn pulled out his phone and gave it to Poe with a blank contact sheet.

Poe only hesitated for a second before saving his name with an x at the end. Might as well milk the cheesiness for as long as he could, right?

He gave Finn’s phone back to him, and they smiled at each other for another beat, before Poe snorted at the romcom nature of the moment. Finn seemed to recognise how ridiculous it was too, and also chuckled, before turning to leave the store.

“I’ll text you.”

Poe couldn’t wipe the grin off his face. “Not if I text you first.”

Poe saw one last flash of that brilliant smile, Finn honest to god waving at him through the glass, before he disappeared into the mall.

Poe let out a breath and slumped against the counter. So. He had a date. Or would have a date. With The Most Beautiful Man In the World Who Could Also Be Named The Smoothest Man In The World. Who Also Wasn’t An Asshole Despite Working At A Suit Shop, And Was Taking Poe On A Date Where He Wouldn’t Have To Wear A Suit.

Life was positively grand.

Poe felt a buzz in his back pocket, and pulled out his phone.

**Unknown number:** _Hey :) how does Friday sound?_

Poe bit back a smile as he thumbed a reply.

**Poe:** _7?_

His phone buzzed against 30 seconds later.

**Finn:** _Perfect. I’ll pick you up - wear something comfy and warm! :D_

**Poe:** _:) See you then!_

+++++

**Jess:** _DID IT WORK_

**Jess:** _PLEASE I NEED UPDATES_

**Jess:** _you better not be boring and actually doing your job instead of spying on our friends and their love lives_

**Rey:** _Finn has just come out of Poe’s shop. He’s smiling like an idiot._

**Jess:** _FUCK YEAH_

**Jess:** _mission success_

**Rey: _👊_**

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr: andfollowthesun
> 
> this is unbeta'd and i feel like at points kinda rushed lol so pleasepleaseplease feedback is appreciated!! i have no fandom friends lmao


End file.
